Letter of Resignation
by Mistress of the LivingDarkness
Summary: Natalia sighed, neither of them deserve what she's been doing. Belarus leaves Russia, because that's what she thinks he wants. Isn't it? She put the letter down and walked away, for the last time. It's done.Incest/Human names/ GerXBel, but mostly RusXBel


Ivan walked into his office, blood splattered across his coat. He didn't bother removing the garment; instead he took a deep sniff of the large sunflower in his hand. He loved sunflowers. He had commanded that there always be a vase of fresh sunflowers in his office and bedroom for his enjoyment. They reminded him of warmth, and such a thing was a rarity in his home. It always had been, and always would be.

He moved the flower from his nose and looked around the office out of habit, his usual smile present under his empty eyes. No one was there. He sighed and stalked to his large seat. No one was ever there. Who would want to be with Russia? No one. Not even his sister. Well, the sane sister. The other only wanted to marry him, but she wasn't really a person. She didn't really matter. She was only a constant. A constant that served a purpose at some points in time, but mostly only got in the way.

He moved to look through the many policies that were chaotically stacked over his desk, but a single piece of paper caught his eyes. It had water marks on it, as though someone had carried it through a gentle snow fall. It was also handwritten, and not nearly as crisp and impersonal as a policy should be.

Ivan picked up the sheet of paper gingerly, looking closely for a poisonous powder of any kind. None shifted on the cheap paper's surface. He scowled at the annoyance of someone obviously misplacing a personal letter. How dare they further clutter his desk with useless information that only belonged in the trash?

He moved to shred it, but thought better of it and sat it back onto the desk. First he would look over the policies that were being purposed and then he would read it. That way, he would be annoyed while he hunted down the scoundrel that had messed up his already cluttered desk. Ivan smiled wider at the thought of blood flow. Blood was warm when it left the body. Incredibly warm. So warm that it could even cause steam to rise from the snow if spilled with a high enough concentration. Ivan remembered the French soldiers he had used to find that particular piece of information out with. General Winter had mentioned it once, and he had always wanted to try it, but he had always been too caught up in battle to try it. The French had been such an amusement that it hadn't taken any extra concentration to do.

The most amusing part had been when the living French soldier had rushed for the bodies. They hadn't wanted to avenge their fallen comrades. No, they had simply needed the body heat of the near bloodless men. Ivan had laughed. He had laughed so hard at their pathetic display that he had completely forgotten to kill them. It had been hard, not being able to breathe through the icy air, but the laughter had been worth the burning in his lungs.

Ivan chuckled at the memory. Francis had not been on that particular march, but he had heard of Ivan's fun and had the feminine attitude to be disgusted. How sad, that a country could be so insecure with his masculinity. Ivan shook his head and continued to read the natural gas report. Apparently a new collection of the resource had been found, but the drillers needed government permission to drill there. He grabbed a black pen and signed the dotted line. Mother Russia would not be denied her money for resources. While yes, a few families would have to be relocated, it was a small price to pay for added revenue and more jobs. Hell! Ivan would have the company offer the heads of family a job so that they wouldn't be left completely destitute. He was such a good man.

Ivan made a note of the change and moved the paper away to look over the food reports. It seemed that the beets production had been low this year. The report said that the shortage was caused by an early frost. Ivan shrugged, that was an occupational hazard. At least the production had only dropped by a few percentage points. The rest of the crops, including the sun flower seeds, were up by several points.

He signed off on the proposals for more funding to develop better temperature controls for storage and moved on to the oil production. America had been making a huge stink about getting most of its oil from Russia, and Ivan had no problem with the proposal. He hated the Turks for the embarrassment of Iran. Though America had dealt with basically the same thing, he still hated the Turks for many more reasons. Particularly their jihad on Christianity. Just let them try to come into his country and take away his religion and his God. He'd make sure that each and every one of them freezes. He'd even smile in the cold as they clung to each other for warmth. Then again, that wasn't a change from what he already did.

He looked back at the agreement, and signed it. He knew well that by agreeing to sell America ten percent more of his oil that he would be able to scrap a bit more off of the happy-go-lucky man. It would definitely be no skin off of his nose. Ivan smirked and stacked the finished policies and reports. He looked out the window to see a bright blue moon. He smiled warmly, and the light actually reached his eyes for once. He and his sisters would often spend the blue moons on his roof with several bottles of vodka. Katyusha had always fussed at him for drinking so much, and he remembered her rather entertaining assets when he was drunk enough to really appreciate them. Natalia had only laughed at their exchange and taken another shot. She had always been the constant. There to shadow him, lay at his feet, support him from behind; much like Ludwig's dog.

Ivan cocked his head, he needed to call Ludwig at some point and torment him with the memory of Gilbert. It had been a full week since last time. The first few times Ivan had done such a thing, he had been expecting the harsh man to yell at him in colorful German, but it seemed Ludwig was indeed going soft in his age. Germania would have been ashamed. Though, if Germania were still around, he would have successfully killed Ivan by now, so the Russian didn't dwell on that thought for long.

He looked back to his desk and saw the forgotten letter. The personal letter that cluttered his desk. The letter that only helped to remind him that he was alone in this warmth forsaken wasteland. Ivan smirked and grabbed the crinkled paper. It seemed to have had quite a bit of handling. He opened the fold and was humorously surprised to see that it was addressed the 'Russia'. So it seems he did get letters once in a while.

He finished unfolding the parchment and saw that it wasn't much of a letter. It was simple and to the point, yet cutting; just like its author.

_Dear Ivan,_

_If I have ever known you at all, you will have finished the large amount of paper work before reading this. It would have bothered me at some point in the past, but I have found that winter is a decent numb to pain. Congratulations. Your screams, yelps, and gasps have overcome my faith. I will never pursue or see you again. I won't be back. Please consider this my immediate letter of resignation._

_Loveless,_

_Belarus_

Ivan reread the letter several times, looking for some clue that it was a lie. Some reason that she would write such a thing. Alfred must have forced her! That was it! That meddling boy had always found it amusing to flirt with Belarus ever since the Soviet's fall. He would beat that boy for weeks for such trouble. No one forced Natalia to do anything but him!

Her signature gave him pause though. She had never signed with her official name before. Not in letters to him. Why do so now? If she actually meant what was written in the letter, it was to distance herself from him, but Ivan knew her better. Natalia didn't take change. She was a constant. Change wasn't feasible to her. Even her clothing had not updated since before the Union. She wouldn't have suddenly decided to run off.

Ivan looked through the letter for any sign of an emotional struggle, but the strokes where her usual elegant sketch. He looked at it as a simple letter and realized for the first time that she had beautiful hand writing. His official hand was close to her level, but it still fell short. He sighed and leaned back in his chair and accepted the truth. His constant had left him. It-She, he corrected himself, had finally had enough.

Ivan looked back on his treatment of her and sighed. He had treated her like a sick dog. He had always taken what she offered, but never returned anything. She had taken German bullets for him! Bleed on the snow for him! What had he done in return? He had told her to get up and keep going! Had she slapped him, or even just refused, it wouldn't have felt so bad now! But no! She had bitten her lip to keep from crying, and had done just what he ordered.

Ivan stood and walked to the window and glared out of the foggy glass. When had he become such a monster? When had his life turned him into such a creature that he hadn't even cared that she was starving? That she was desperate for help of any kind? That she only wanted a smile from him? He growled and grabbed a large book. Ironically, it was the Holy Bible. The book that said to love one to another! To show compassion for his fellow man!

Ivan threw the book with all of his strength at the glass table over in the corner. It shattered on impact. The thousands of shards did nothing to make him feel better. He snarled and grabbed an unlit oil lamp and threw it against the wall. It too shattered, and oil splashed everywhere. He picked up another object and threw it, then another, and another, and another. Finally, he had broken everything that could shatter in the room. He stood, panting, in the middle of the chaos. Head bowed, he glared at the shards of glass that glared at him with the light of the moon.

He hissed and then yelled his anger. The roar lasted for a long time, causing the mansion's occupants to cringe at their master's furry. The aged butler walked away from the door and shook his head. He had known from the sad look in Mistress Natalia's eyes that this night would not be a good one. He went back into his meager room and looked out the window and sighed, "If you could only see him know, Miss Natalia, you would know." He walked back to his bed and went to sleep, knowing that there was a good chance that he wouldn't wake up.

Ivan stood unmoved from his spot in the room. How could he do this? How could she do this? How had he let it get so bad? Ivan turned his head to glare at the portrait of his family from long ago. He stood over them smiling, his arms wrapped around them protectively. They had been happy! But at some point, he had stopped seeing his young sister as a person. She became a simple tool. She was meant only for his betterment; it hadn't mattered what happened to her as a result.

Ivan's knees gave. He fell to the floor, and he didn't care about the pain in his shins from the glass. It didn't matter. It was only temporary. What he had done to Natalia was anything but. He wondered did she still have the scar from Ludwig's bullet? Did she still have the burn marks on her upper arm from Alfred's bombs? Did she still have a limp from the broken leg that Francis had given her? What about the knife wound just under her right breast from Gilbert? It had nearly punctured her heart, and he had just scowled at her and kicked her off of the field.

There had been so much that he had missed. So much that had happened to her, and he couldn't even claim to have not been around. He had been around. He just didn't care. Something wet made its way down his face. He reached a gloved hand up and realized it was a tear. He was actually crying. He had sworn never do to that after Mongolia had raped him for a third time. He had always kept that oath. Until now. Another warm tear followed the path of the other, and Ivan realized that his eyes stung. He ignored the pain and asked himself the question that had always lingered in his mind, but now the words held such different meaning.

Why had she loved him? What had he ever done to her to warrant such loyalty and affection? Sure, he had taken her in at one point, but that was only to further a plan. He had made her life as miserable as possible for centuries. Yet, until today, she had been in love with him. He sighed and dragged himself off of the floor and trudged to his door. He looked back at the portrait and another tear escaped him. He had ruined it! He was truly alone now. Alone in this God forsaken wasteland.

He looked at the letter at his desk and his eyes hardened. She wouldn't leave him! Not like this! He needed her! He needed her in ways he had never even entertained before. She was his, damn it! He'd be damned if he let her go without a fight. He slammed the door and stalked to his room. He would start looking for her tomorrow. Once he found her, everything would be okay! Everything would be fixed. He'd show her that he can love her! He ripped off his coat and threw it onto a chair near his bed. He untied the scarf and chunked it somewhere near the window. His boots came off with a clunk, and his belt hit the floor of the room with his pants with a loud click. He fell into the blankets of his bed and looked at the other side.

He rolled under the sheets and made a new oath to himself. She would be his again, and this time, he would marry her. He smirked as he drifted off, he'd have to have the royal jeweler start working on a white gold ring in the morning.

_One year later…_

Natalia quickly shuffled through her door and slammed it shut, trying to keep the snow out and the warmth in. She bolted the door to her home shut and shrugged off her heavy coat. She put the long coat up on the rack and sighed. She flipped back her braided hair and pulled off her wet boots. She left them by the door and wandered deeper into her home. She reached the kitchen and pulled out a mug and some milk. She poured the milk and placed the mug in her microwave. It began to warm while she looked for the hot coco mix. She found it, and a spoon, just in time for the microwave to beep.

She swiftly turned and put the mug on the counter. She measured out the mix and stirred it in. She smelled the delicious treat and took a sip. The chocolate milk rolled down her throat and began to ease the soreness that had been growing for the last few days. She smiled contently and walked to her living room and settled onto the couch. She grabbed the remote and flipped to a movie station. Finally one peaked her interest and she settled on it as she snuggled into the couch a bit more.

Half of the action movie had passed before she walked over to the gas fireplace and turned on the logs. The fire roared to life and she walked back over to her sofa and hot chocolate. She continued watching to movie and laughing at the simple ludicrous of the fight scenes. Had the main character known how to handle a knife better, the movie would have been over in only an hour.

The credits finally rolled and she uncurled herself from the blanket and cushions. She stood and stretched. It had been a good movie, but now she was rather tired. She walked up the stairs to her study and sat down behind her desk. Though _she_ had left _Ivan_, Belarus had not left Russia. She had a lot of policies to review from the other country, but as long as Ivan didn't show up with them, she didn't mind at all. That is, if there were only fewer of them. Looking back, Natalia wondered if her insane love for her brother had really been just a way to avoid her paperwork, but not even time could allow her that lie.

An ache still formed at the thought of her lost love. Though, can one lose what has never been had? It had taken centuries to finally accept the truth, and though she still felt love for him, Natalia had accepted the fact that Ivan would never love her. She just wasn't that important to him. She pulled out the military report and saw that Russia was requesting more troops to be trained. She grudged agreed, knowing that the larger country would not take 'no' as an answer when it came to military practice. Russia was much like a six year old child in some things, and this was one of them. It was Russia's way, or a lot of kicking, yelling, pain and still Russia's way. There was no other option.

She finished with the military agreements and began going over the exports. They were basically routine. Nothing really changed in the shipping. If it did, she had to turn it over to Russia anyway. She sat back and looked at the stacks of papers left, and tries as she might, she couldn't muster up the will to finish them. She looked out the window and frowned at the blue moon. It was a painful reminder of use-to-be's and could-have-been's. She drew the curtains and walked up to her personal bathroom. She jumped in the shower and cleaned off the grim of the day. She finished up and got ready for bed. She walked passed her window and hesitated. Would it be so bad to remember? To remember when she believed that he could love her? She reached for the curtain but stopped herself. Memories brought emotion. Emotion brought pain. Pain brought _him._ She would not think of him. It had been over a year since she had last seen him, and exactly a year ago that she had ended any relations they might have had.

She scowled, she had been pathetic. She had made a fool of herself chasing true love. She had forgotten that for true love to exist, it had to be mutual. What she had with Ivan had been nothing but one sided. It would have never been anything more than her chasing him with whatever scheme came to mind. Ironically it had been a blue moon that had made her realized the foolishness of chasing a man that didn't even want to be in the same room as her. She sighed and walked back to her bed and got under the covers. It had been a long day. Natalia said her nightly prayers and went to sleep.

Across the street a tall man smiled at the house smugly, "I said I would find you. It's time, mоя любовь, for us to be one." He stalked away to his own shelter, already planning how to win her heart now that she had been found. Ivan smiled to himself, "Once we marry, neither of us will ever be alone again!" He faded away into the long shadows that his blue moon cast. Soon it would be their blue moon again.

_Next morning…_

Natalia rushed out of the house, buckling her coat hurriedly. She was going to be late for the meeting. Her silvery-blond hair was pulled back into a hasty pony tail, and she wore no makeup as usual. Some things don't change in a year, and she still didn't see the point in the goop. It only made her feel ugly. Her knee high boots clicked against the cobblestone as she rushed through the residential streets of Minsk. She watched the alleyways with a careful eye. Her nation had a serious problem with human trafficking. It would not be the first time she had been assaulted.

Though her dress had been traded in for a set of pants and a sweater, Natalia still kept several knives on her person at all times. Though she didn't kill someone daily anymore, some people still just needed killing. Except that now, she decided who those people were, not Ivan. She patted her upper thigh where her old sheath still sat, tied on the outside of her pants now. She loved that knife. It had saved her life and Ivan's many times in the past. It didn't matter that she had left Ivan behind. She was keeping her sharp buddy. 'Til death do they part. At least she was married to something.

She hurried though the slightly crowded streets and made it to the capital building where her boss sat waiting. He looked at her and sighed, "Will you go to the nation's meeting next week? You and Mr. Russia have much to discuss."

Her glacier-like eyes pieced him like her blades, "We have nothing that needs to be discussed, or will we ever." She sat down and leveled him with a blank stare. The man gulped and moved on to discuss the other policies. He knew better than to press issues having to do with Mr. Russia. She didn't pull her knives much anymore, but that issue would always end in someone bleeding from a main artery. They spent the better part of the morning discussing the different aspects of the economy and military agreements. Neither of them wanted to see the Russians get more of their people, but nothing could be done. Russia was not the same kind of big brother as America. America was a bit overprotective and overbearing, with a fear of losing control. While he wasn't the greatest person in the world, he was one of the nicer ones. Natalia sometimes wished that she had fallen in love with Alfred instead of Ivan, but some wishes will never come true. Russia was the bully older brother; he never bluffed. When he said a face was going to be ripped off, a face was going to be ripped off slowly.

Natalia glared at the wall and sighed. Why did she always end up thinking about him? How was she ever going to get over him if every single thought found its way back to him? She stood up and walked over to the small refrigerator that was kept stocked with food. She opened it up and grabbed a bottle of juice and a small bowl of pasta and salmon that Italia had sent over as an opening to what they wanted to be a long alliance meeting. Natalia didn't see it going anywhere, but it was one thing that her boss wouldn't listen to her on.

He sighed and looked at the seemingly young woman. She was saner now, but now she seemed cold and empty. He had liked her when he first met her. She had been a bit crazed at any mention of Ivan, but she had been full of life. Now, it was as though she were empty. She came and sat down in front of him again, nibbling on the food. He decided that it was time to mention their visitor. "Miss Natalia, I need to speak with you about one of your people coming to visit with an ambassador."

Natalia put down the juice and looked at him, "It had better not be Ivan, or I'm going to skewer your lungs and stuff your spleen into your stomach." She picked the drink back up calmly and took a large gulp.

He gulped, never used to her extremely detailed threats, and continued, "No, Germany will be attending our meeting today with his ambassador. He has asked to see you." Natalia sipped on her juice and nodded in understanding. Ludwig wasn't a bad man, no matter what Francis thought of him. Alfred didn't care for him much lately, as Ludwig had gone soft in an attempt at penance for his revenge fueled actions in World War 2. The same revenge than had infected Ivan after the Germans had slaughtered so many of his men while he was still recovering. They had treated his people like vermin because Russia had a dense Jewish population. Ivan hated Ludwig and ever single German with a frightening intensity. While Belarus had also had many people die brutal deaths because of the Germans, she didn't hold it against Ludwig anymore. Once the Soviet Union fell, she let go of a lot of old grudges. Her near-impoverished country didn't have the time to hate anyone, or the resources.

She smiled, "Okay. When will they be coming in?"

Her boss looked over at the grandfather clock, "They should be arriving in about an hour." She nodded, already miles away.

What caused so many powerful countries to weaken themselves as penance? Germany was the more recent, along with Japan, but there had been several. Arthur was a perfect example! He had been the scourge of the seven seas for centuries, held more land than the Roman Empire, and destroyed Spain's 'invincible' armada. He sat at home now and read a lot. Sure, he argued with Alfred a lot, and still had a badass military, but he was nothing compared to Pirate Captain Arthur. That Arthur had been the embodiment of badass. When he had said, "I'll cut your tongue out and make you eat it." You didn't keep talking. Now? He was laughed at; especially by Alfred, as he was one of the first to call Arthur's bluff (once they had become bluffs).

Natalia stood and walked out of the office and up to her personal office. She started working on some new zoning ideas for the capital's growing population. It took about an hour. Her boss came and got her, "They are outside."

She stood and walked with him after tucking an escaped strand of hair behind her ear. They descended the main stairwell and came to stand in the large lobby. The door in front of them opened, and an older man walked in with Ludwig right beside him. Ludwig smiled at her, "Natalia! It is good to see you!" She smiled at the man, and walked to him to shake his hand.

He surprised her though, and went right for the hug. He embraced her around the waist, squeezing her to him. Natalia's eyebrow's shot up at the new contact and hesitantly returned the embrace. What was this man up to? He didn't let her go right away, and it allowed Natalia to realize that while Ludwig had been staying out of military issues around the world, he had kept himself in the expected German shape. Ever single muscle stood out hard under his skin as the large man held her to him. Finally, he released her, and Natalia was very surprised to find that a blush was creeping up her cheeks. Ludwig smirked and stepped back to his place beside the German ambassador.

Their bosses spoke civilly before stepping to the meeting room. Natalia's turned, "Would you like to show this nation around the city? I'm sure he would enjoy it." Natalia glared at the man, but nodded. Ludwig grabbed her hand and pulled her to the doors.

She looked up at the large man and couldn't quite figure out why he was acting like this. He turned to her, and his blue eyes were deeply serious, "Are there any Wurst here?"

Natalia cocked a silvery brow at him, "There is a place, but it is a bit of a far walk."

Ludwig shrugged and shoved his hands in his coat pockets, "I do have an auto, you know. I just need directions." He motioned to a sleek silver car.

Natalia looked at the car and then back at the tall man before her. She let a small smile slip onto her face, "Okay." Ludwig smirked and led her down to the car with a hand lightly on the small of her back. The gentle guiding made her uncomfortable. No man had ever touched her besides her victims and her brother. He had never touched her gently. He avoided her since the fall of the USSR. He had blocked out the memories of those days, but she still remembered the dark days. The memories made her stronger. They would have broken Ivan. He already had too many cracks. Those days of darkness had been the worst for him. He hadn't been the victim for once, and that is what would have broken him. Not to say that Ivan was a nice man before and after. He wasn't. Ivan was a bad man in many ways. He still kept the needles that the KGB had used on pressure points, and he still used them. He kept many of the KGB members close, but he was nothing compared to the rage driven monster he had been.

She had taken everything he threw at her, so that the others wouldn't get it so bad, but it didn't work often. He liked hurting people. Always had and more than likely, always would. He didn't hit her anymore, and he hadn't before the USSR, but when he had, he hadn't been gentle. She sighed and Ludwig looked over at her, "Ist everything alright, Frau?"

She pulled away from him, "I'm fine." He looked at her strangely, "I'm just not used to being touched like that by a man."

Ludwig nodded, "It was a bit familiar. My apologies."

Natalia opened her door before he could and climbed in, "I meant gently."

Ludwig was stunned. How had this woman lived for so many centuries without being shown kindness from a man? He pushed the question away and smiled, "Then I take back my apologies."

Natalia smiled up at him uneasily and he closed her door, making his way over to his side with sure, slow strides. He climbed into the car and looked at her happily, "So, where to?" Natalia looked at her dress pants, heels, and sweater. Then she compared it to the suit that Ludwig was wearing (quiet well, a piece of her mind added).

She sighed, "We are way over dressed for any of the Wurst places."

Ludwig looked down and nodded, "Ja, you're right. Mein suit is too formal for most places." He sighed but then smiled at her, "This one time, we stop caring about that, ja?"

Natalia wasn't sure about the disregard for protocol, but she found herself nodding anyway. He smiled and took her directions to a small store where an older German woman had opened up a food service. Ludwig's eyes sparkled at the familiar smell as he dragged her into the building. Natalia didn't really like him grabbing her so much, but another part of her that had always wanted some kind of positive attention was elated by the man's firm yet gentle touches. He pulled her to the counter and ordered quickly in German. Natalia didn't speak German. He turned to her and smiled, "I promise it is good."

Natalia smiled back at him hesitantly, "I'll hold you to that."

Ludwig smirked devilishly and nodded towards the tables, "Pick a place out for us and I'll get the food." She moved to a white table and black chairs. Ludwig only took a few minutes to get her their order, and Natalia smiled as a new layer of snow began to build up. Ludwig sat the food down in front of her and smiled, "Where were you?"

Natalia look at him as the man sat down, "What do you mean?"

Ludwig shook his head humorously, "You were a million miles away."

Natalia smiled sheepishly, "I like to watch the snow."

He turned and looked at the white substance, "Francis loves to play in the snow too. He will race out of any door he can find to go and play in the stuff. I'll admit to joining most of the time."

Natalia looked at him in confusion, "Francis? I thought you didn't like France."

Ludwig drank his beer and looked at her deadpanned, "I don't. That's why I named my dog after him." She looked at him in shock for a moment before a smile slowly spread over her lips and a soft giggle escaped. Ludwig decided he liked that sound. They spoke of the culture differences that each had experienced in the other's country, and somehow they got to talking about Americans. "I still don't get why they say three with the middle fingers."

Natalia nodded enthusiastically, "I know! They always have to make it harder! And their fork styles! It's even daintier than Arthur when he eats! How do they ever eat so much?"

Ludwig shook his head and smiled widely, "I have yet to figure that out, but my men that were over there during the second war as POW said it was wonderful. Most of them even grabbed their families and went back. Alfred may be an obnoxious, gun obsessed man with a hero complex, but his people are actually pretty awesome once you get out of the cities. Most of the little farm towns are a great place to be."

Natalia tilted her head, light dancing in her blue eyes, "I've never been outside of New York, and I wasn't that fond of it."

Ludwig nodded, "Mir either! I like the western and southern states more. They are less "I'm better than you" and more "Nice to meet you"." They finished up their food and he stood, taking their trash. She watched him, confusion still lingering. She had always had to pick up with Ivan. He had never taken care of the trash. Ludwig returned and saw the confusion. His brow came down, and he couldn't resist asking, "Natalia, if you don't mind my asking, why have been looking at me with utter confusion most of the day?"

Natalia smiled hesitantly, "You are so different."

Ludwig frowned, "From whom?"

Natalia looked off into the distance, "Ivan."

Ludwig cocked his head and couldn't help but pry farther, "What do you mean?"

Natalia blushed and looked away from him, "He was never nice to me."

Ludwig looked at her, his blue eyes curious, "Why did sie love him?"

Natalia shook her head and looked at the man across from her, "Do."

Though he knew exactly what she meant, Ludwig asked, "Do?"

Natalia sighed, "I do love him."

Ludwig sighed, disappointment running through him, "Why aren't you around him anymore than?"

Natalia shrugged, "He doesn't love me, and it only hurts him that I do. Aren't you supposed to put the person you love ahead of yourself? So, for a year, I've been working to get over him."

Ludwig smiled a bit, "How's that eine working out?"

Natalia laughed bitterly, "Not so well so far."

Ludwig stood up and offered his hand, "Maybe you just need to be shown how other men treat women. Come on. This isn't my country, so you will have to show me the entertaining places around here."

Natalia thought hard, not used to thinking about personal entertainment, "I think there is a skating ring a few blocks over."

He soured, "Do you like to ice skate?"

Natalia shook her head, "I have never gone."

Ludwig sighed in resignation, "I'm not that good, but I will go with you." She took his hand and he led her to the car. He opened her door and let her get in. He closed it a bit hard and stalked to the other side. He drove to the ice skating ring and parked quickly. Natalia didn't understand why he was so annoyed all of a sudden. Was it something she had done? Did he really dislike spending time with her?

Ludwig had become a master of reading a person's negative body language during World War II. He didn't advertise it much, but he still had a few tendencies from those days. So, it shouldn't have come as a surprise that he knew just what had found its way into Natalia's mind. "I am a very bad ice skater. I'm not exactly thrilled to humiliate myself in front of you."

Natalia shook her head, unsure how to deal with this side of humanity, "If you don't want to, we could go for a walk in the park."

Ludwig tried to disguise his sigh of relief, "Are you sure? I don't mind going with you." She nodded that she was sure and he started up the car, "Where is this park?"

Natalia smiled without thinking about it, "It's my favorite! It is about four blocks from the capital building."

Ludwig watched the smile bloom across her face, "You have a very ziemlich smile." She smiled a bit wider. He turned to the road and drove quickly, ignoring the speed limits. Natalia couldn't help the small sliver of fear at the speed and jerking motions of his driving. Why didn't she ever drive her car? Then, she could have been the one doing driving around.

They reached the park in record time. Ludwig jumped out of the car and marched to her side. His leather jacket looked incredibly familiar, "Is that your jacket from World War II?"

Ludwig smiled sheepishly, "They just don't make leather like they used to." He had removed the badges, though the cross still hung around his neck. Francis and Arthur had tried to force the man to get rid of the cross, but Alfred had remembered what those two had caused with their stupid conditions of Germany's surrender in World War I. He had put an end to such ideas, and while Ludwig would never understand the younger nation completely, he would never buy into the idea that he was an idiot or heartless. Heartless nations don't stand up for the beaten. He offered her his hand, and for once, she took it without any hesitation. He smiled and pulled her up gently. She didn't let go of his hand as she led him deep into the park.

She pulled him to a large grove. The trees had a clear coating of ice and the pure white snow had yet to be touched. She let his hand go and walked over to a large mound of snow. A wicked idea suddenly formed in her mind. "Ludwig! Come here! You have to see this." The man rushed over to her, sure that something was wrong. There was only a mound of snow. A cold mound of white snow. He looked at her. "Look closer! The snow has a blue tint." Ludwig bent down to look.

Suddenly, he felt a boot on his rear end. Natalia smirked, "A bit closer." She pushed. Ludwig was a seasoned soldier many times over. He had fought dozens of wars and immerged alive. He had single handedly nearly taken over all of Europe. He had destroyed kingdoms and created his own.

He couldn't stop himself from falling head first into that mound of snow.

Natalia felt an odd sensation welling up inside. It was nearly uncontrollable, and it wouldn't stop. It had no end. The more she looked at the German, the more powerful it became. She began to giggle. Slowly that giggle became louder. By the time Ludwig pulled his head out of the snow, she was laughing. "Why you etwas…" He rolled onto his feet, every bit the soldier again. He ran at her, and Natalia easily dodged the head on attack. She had seen her fair share of battles, as well. She raced away from him, moving as quickly as her heavy winter clothes would allow, still laughing. Ludwig chased after her, smiling in spite of himself. They kept up the chase for about ten minutes. Racing through the ice covered trees and through the new snow.

Once again, Natalia found herself smiling brightly. It felt weird to do such. She had never smiled this much. They raced into a small clearing, and Ludwig tackled her to the ground. She rolled over under him, laughing loudly. He playfully snarled down at her, "Niemand pushes me into the snow und lives!"

Natalia giggled, "Good thing I'm a woman!"

Ludwig growled and then smiled, "Good thing." He got up, wiped snow off of his gloved hands, and offered it to her. She took it, still not used to his behavior, and he pulled her up. She smiled and he let her hand go. They began to walk away from the clearing, but the sound of a cat call stopped them.

They turned and saw a group of men walking towards them. Ludwig placed his hand on his Walther P99, but stopped himself. He couldn't cause a national incident. Last time he had helped someone out, it caused two world wars. He hated it, but Natalia would have to handle this one. The men stopped in front of them. Two had hand guns, so they must have been in the military at some point. The leader was wearing a wool jacket and worn leather boots that had been well polished. His face had the beginnings of a short beard, and his brown hair was crew cut. His green eyes were hard as they looked at the couple. He leered at Natalia, "That was a cute little show you two gave. How about a private one?"

Ludwig stepped in between the two, "The Lady doesn't appreciate that comment."

The man scowled at the blond, "The _Whore_ can speak for herself." He looked down at her, "What? Need this cracker to tell me what you do or don't like?" He looked between them and smirked, "From the looks of it, I don't think he really knows." He moved to step to her, his hand reaching out. Ludwig grabbed his arm brutally. The man smirked, "Do you really want to do that, Nazi?" The two lackeys cocked their guns at him. Ludwig knew he could do nothing more, because he was not taking a bullet for this, nor was he causing another international incident. He slowly let go of the man's arm.

Natalia watched this in disbelief. She hadn't been prepared for anything that Ludwig had done today. Nothing had changed. This was one of the most powerful military nations in the world? This was the man that nearly achieved world domination? He was backing down from a group of military thugs. She scoffed and unsheathed her knife while they were distracted. She flattened it against her forearm.

She glared up at the man, "We will be on our way." She knew that he wasn't going to let her leave, but it would throw him off his guard which is all she needed.

The man smirked, "Do you have any idea who I am?" She shook her head, "Because I know who you are. Natalia, a young worker in the capital building. A very pretty one too." He pushed Ludwig out of the way, and it was obvious that the man struggling to keep himself held back. The man stood close to Natalia, and grabbed her hand, not letting her use the knife, "Don't play your games with me. I've watched the way you finger that knife every time some man looks at you. I'm not your average street thug." He smirked and took the knife.

He looked down at the blade, "This is a fine blade. It was tempered well. Not thrust into cold water like most metals." He smiled at her and then slapped her hard. She fell, the ice under her feet not letting her keep her balance.

She landed hard in the snow and spat out the blood. She hated the taste of blood. It reminded her too much of those days when Ivan was crazier than usual. She stood up gracefully and glared at the man, "Is that the best you've got?"

The man scowled at her and pulled back his fist. A voice stopped him, "I have to ask the same question. That is the best you've got, da?" Ivan walked over to them, calm as ever, but his pipe was firmly grasped in his right hand. His purple eyes were locked on the man threateningly as he slowly strolled over to them. He looked at Natalia and chuckled, "You always did like to bait your opponents." He turned to the man, "You were just leaving, da?"

The men looked at their boss, who scoffed, "I don't know who you think you are-"

Ivan smiled widely and cut him off, "I am Russia." He looked at Natalia, "This is Belarus." He smiled coldly at Ludwig, "and this is Germany." He moved his water pipe to hit the man in the legs. He fell to the snow and cried out. Ivan smirked and hit the man in the face once. He spit out blood. Ivan smiled, "If you hadn't made her bleed, I would have only hurt you, but…" the Russian smirked wickedly, "I can't let you go now."

Natalia reached out a hand hesitantly, fully expecting the tall man to rush away, "Ivan…" He turned to look at her. She shook her head, "They aren't worth it."

Ivan shook his head and smiled, "Don't you know what they wanted to do to you? Things that only a man and wife should do! That can't be allowed. What if I had not been coming to see you?" He looked at Ludwig pointedly, "He wouldn't have done a thing in fear of another international war." He turned back to the man as the thug's lackeys ran off. He picked the man up with one hand and pushed him against the tree. He smirked at the man and leaned in close, "You and I are going to come to an understanding, and then, I'm going to kill you." He pulled back and yelled out, "Klavdiya!"

A man with a large nose, brown eyes and brown hair rushed into the clearing, a standard issue rifle in his hand. He stopped and saluted, "Yes, Sir Russia!"

Ivan looked away from the thug and threw him at the soldier, "Have this man delivered to my personal interrogation room. Standard prisoner treatment." The soldier rushed off, dragging the struggling thug with him.

Ludwig nodded at the other man in greeting, "Hello, Russia."

Ivan smiled at him emptily, "I don't want to talk to you."

Ludwig cocked his head in confusion, "What? I don't-"

Ivan cut him off, "You were going to let them rape Natalia. I don't appreciate that, Germany." Natalia smiled a bit. It was the first time he had ever said her name without being angry or wanting something. Ivan noticed, but didn't turn to her yet. Everything had to go correctly on their first meeting, or it would take forever for her to agree to marry him. The white gold band seemed to burn in his pants pocket at the thought of having to wait another year. He couldn't go that long without her. He needed her.

Ludwig glared at him, but didn't argue. He was well aware of what could have happened had Ivan not arrived. It shamed the German, but he just couldn't risk another world war. Ivan turned away from the slightly shorter man and walked to Natalia. He smiled at her warmly, "Hello, my dear one. How is your cheek?" He didn't grab her to look at it, but she felt the slight brush of his gloved fingers when he tilted her head to give him a better look. He frowned, "It is going to bruise, little one." He pulled back and offered her his hand, "Would you come with me?"

Natalia started to reach for his hand, but stopped herself, "I'm working."

Ivan didn't let it throw him off. He did deserve it if she rejected him a few times. He smiled, "With what, little one?"

She looked at his seemingly warm eyes and then over at Ludwig, "I have to show Ludwig around."

Ivan smiled at her warmly, "Germany can find his own way back to the capital building." He turned to the man, "You can see the top of it from here, da? You aren't slepym, are you? You are younger than I am, so if you are already losing your sight… what could that mean for me?" He turned back to Natalia, "He will be fine. Please accompany me?" He offered his hand again.

Natalia looked at him and then to Ludwig, "Ludwig, would you excuse me?" The man hesitated, but finally nodded his consent. He didn't know what Ivan was up to, but he had to admit that Natalia deserved someone who would actually protect her, instead of making empty threats. Natalia smiled at him softly, "I will see you later, okay? You aren't allowed to leave without saying goodbye." Ludwig smiled back smugly and nodded. He turned and began walking back to his car, leaving the two alone.

Ivan watched him go and then turned his attention back to Natalia, "Did that man hurt you in any other way?" Natalia started to speak, but he noticed a flash of something on her teeth. He grabbed her chin and turned her to look at him, "Open your mouth." She looked at him strangely, but Natalia knew better than to disobey a direct order. She obeyed hesitantly. He looked at the red tint and noticed that she was still bleeding. He scowled, "I'm going to kill him." He let her go slowly and turned away. He sighed heavily, "This isn't how I wanted our reunion to go."

A heavy silence stretched over them. Ivan was lost in memories of times when he had been the one to make her bleed. Natalia's mind wasn't far away from the same memory. This was the first time he had defended her when he wasn't also in danger. He had never cared before. Why was he even here? Natalia took a deep breath, "What are you doing here, Russia?"

He turned his head to look at her with sad eyes, "I realized a lot of things when I read your letter."

Natalia couldn't help but scoff, "Don't play the repentant brother. I've seen the act." She sighed and pushed a strand of long hair behind her ear, "The only thing that has changed is that I no longer see you at all. Why do you care what I do?"

Ivan shoved his hands in his pockets and cursed softly, "Chert voz'mi!" He turned and looked at her tiredly, "I'm sorry."

Natalia's eyes widened in shock. Never once, in their entire lifetimes, had she ever heard her brother apologize for anything. She took an involuntary step towards him, "For what?"

He stepped towards her and knelt down in front of her, "I'm sorry for never caring. I'm sorry for never being there when you needed me. I'm sorry for the times I let you down. I'm sorry for ever wound you ever got." His fingers ghosted over her ribs, where he knew at least two bullet scars rested. He bit his lip at the memories of his cold behavior, "I'm so sorry for not seeing you as a person. You were so… devoted. So loyal. All I could ever see was that you would never leave me, no matter what I did to you." He looked up at her, "Then you did." He pulled back and stood up, "You left me." He looked away from her shamefully, "And I can't believe you didn't do it sooner."

He shoved his hands back into his pockets and looked at her pathetically, "I know you don't love me anymore. I understand it, but…" he stepped closer, "I want to start making the last few centuries up to you." He took his hands out and gently rested them on her waist, "I want to show you that I do love you."

Natalia felt tears well up in her eyes. How many nights had she been tormented with dreams of those words? How long had she strove to achieve this moment? She frowned and pulled away harshly, "You only say that because you can't stand the fact that I left." She crossed her arms and glared at him, "If I hadn't left you, nothing would have changed."

Ivan shrugged, "I have always been a poster man for the phrase 'never know a good thing till it's gone.' I don't deny the fact that had you not left, I would still be treating you like a plague." He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, "I'm not good with emotions or making the right decisions from them. Ya always screw it up. Ya stopped seeing you as a person at some point. You became a constant. I didn't know how to deal with you when I stopped seeing you as a sister. So, I treated you like a subhuman being. I don't know why. It wasn't even a conscious decision."

He dropped his hand, "I'm just not good with people. Especially people that I love. I'm obsessed with not being alone, and because of that obsession, I hurt you. I'm insane and blood thirsty and sadistic and a hundred other things." He looked at her and smirked, "We have a lot of those things in common." He sighed when she didn't turn to him. He was trying here, damn it! He didn't like pouring his stinking heart out in the middle of a stupid (cold) park. He wanted to take her back to his mansion, make her one with Russia, and live out his freaking life! Why was it so freaking hard to get her to see this?

He walked to her again and smiled at her lovingly, "I'm not asking for you to accept me with open arms just because of a few words. I want you to let me make it up to you for the rest of our lives. I want to wake up to your face ever morning and know that I love you. I want you to smile. Smile the way Ludwig had you smiling before those thugs attacked you. I want to cause them." He sighed and looked into her eyes, "I want to make you happy." He did. He cringed every time he remembered the blank looks she always sported before; completely devoid of joy.

Natalia remained silent for a while. She didn't know what to say, except, "What is happy?"

Ivan's heart broke a bit more. Had he really been so horrible that she had forgotten what happiness was? She had been such a happy child. Had he truly destroyed that? His hands clenched into fists. Of course he had. He had destroyed her a hundred times, and left her to pick up the pieces hundreds of times. He didn't deserve a second chance, but he was going to ask for one. He wasn't going to let the woman that he loved get away. He looked her in the eye and offered his hand for a third time, "Let me show you."

Natalia looked into his eyes, searching for something. Something that would tell her that this wasn't all a lie and that he honestly cared about it. There had to be something. Finally, she saw her something. A small spark in his eyes told her everything she needed to know. He was telling the truth. Slowly, she raised her hand and moved it to his palm. At some point his glove had come off. She could feel the heat of his skin. He was always so warm to touch. She finally placed her hand into his and his strong fingers encircled her palm. He smiled at her, "I swear that you won't regret this."

Natalia smiled, because she knew that he was telling the truth. He was going to make it all better. A light entered her eyes, and it took Ivan's breath away. He hadn't seen that light in centuries. It was beautiful. He smiled down at the woman that held his heart, and tucked her under his arm. Together, they walked out of the park, neither knowing what the future held for them, but both were content in the knowledge that whatever may come, they would face it together.

For, in the end, Love is patient, forgiving, and unconditional.

_One week later…_

Her back slammed against the wall. The pain made her wince at first, but Ivan quickly distracted her. Something shattered beside them and she looked around to see a shattered vase. Ivan smirked at it, "Blame it on America! Everyone else does it!"He roughly pulled her back to face him and slammed his lips back onto her. She smiled into the kiss and parted her lips for his insistent tongue. They had found out rather quickly that Ivan hadn't only bottled up emotions. He pushed his large form against her and pulled her up the wall to get a better angle. There was nothing loving about their kiss. It was purely instinctive, primitive, and possessive. Lithuania had decided to flirt with Natalia when they had been in a quick meeting. It had taken an incredible amount of self control on Ivan's part, not to kill him.

Natalia thrust her hands into Ivan's hair and moaned into the kiss when he roughly bit her lip. He smirked and pulled back, "Bozhe moi! I can't get enough of you." He moved her to his desk and smirked down at her.

He reached for a button on her dress, but her hand stopped him, "We are not mindless animals, Ivan." She smirked at him as his other hand began to caress her side, "No matter how much we want to, there will be no intimate touching until we are married."

Natalia had learned quickly after she had made that rule that Ivan was a professional at whining. He did it quite often when he was alone with her. This time was no different, "But darling! I love you and you love me! There is nothing wrong with this."

She looked at him and glared a bit, "I said Nyet!" He backed off, knowing just how far he could push the woman before him before he got hurt.

He sighed, "The wedding isn't for another day!"

Natalia smiled warmly, "In theory, we should be ridiculously busy."

Ivan smirked wickedly, "In theory, I don't rule nations with an iron fist." He sat down in his chair smugly, "I haven't had to lift a finger. I just made the Baltic nations do the work. Plus, the bride is the one the wedding is for." His eyes glided over her form, "The honeymoon is for the groom." He whistled lowly, "And I so look forward to our honeymoon." He leaned back in the chair and smiled at her.

Natalia rolled her eyes playfully and hopped off of the desk, "I seem to remember us actually having a reason for coming in here."

Ivan sighed jokingly, "Well, you said nyet."

A loud knock sounded on the door. Ivan looked at the door impassively while Natalia wondered who in the world had the nerve to disturb them. She unsheathed her knife (a habit that she had found incredibly easy to fall back into) and called out, "Enter."

The doors swung open to reveal Feliks strolling in as though he owned the place. Any joy or positive emotions that Ivan had been experiencing flew out the window. He smiled creepily at the nation, "Poland, you need something, da?"

Feliks smirked smugly at them both, "Ja! How dare you two have a wedding so soon! What is wrong with you? Can't keep you cock in your creepy breeches?" He looked at Natalia as though she were some street urchin, "Knock up the harlot yet?" He looked back at Ivan and smirked, "Someone put a creepy bun in the stalker oven."

Natalia moved to lunge at him, but Ivan grabbed her wrist in an iron grip. She wasn't going to fight this battle. It would be on his terms. He looked at the smaller country, "If those comments were directed at us, I will have to shot them to pieces with my many guns." He stood up and slowly stalked over to the short man, "So, who were you talking to?"

Feliks was never one to back down from Ivan, something that Natalia never understood. She had protected him from the blunt of Ivan's wrath in the USSR, so perhaps he simply didn't understand just how cruel the grizzly he was currently stabbing with a stick was? Feliks looked at the man and snarled, "I was talking to you, fatty."

_Bang!_

Feliks was dangling by his feet the second the words left his mouth. Ivan's ungloved hand was wrapped around the man's trachea, slowly crushing it. He glared at the blond man, "I have killed countries for less." He smiled suddenly and cocked his head, "Do you remember the days of the USSR?"

Feliks looked at him with slightly widened eyes, "Tak."

Ivan tightened his grip, "Then you remember my rages. The rages that only affected a few of you satellite nations." He sliced his eyes to Natalia, "Most of it, she took." His dark purple eyes cut back to Feliks, "Remember _that_ next time you sully her name, kozyol mudak." He took his hand back and allowed the other nation to slide to his feet. He tapped his chin thoughtfully, "I'm forgetting something." He smiled at Feliks, "Oh! I forgot!" His smile still firmly in place, his right arm pulled back and drove his fist into Poland's jaw.

Feliks' head snapped to the side hard and he fell to the ground. He groaned loudly, "What was that for, you Idiota?"

Ivan glared at him and murmured "kolkolkolkolkolkol…" he grabbed the nation from the floor and slammed his head against the wall, "You ever talk about her like that again and I'm going to skin you alive." He smiled and looked back at Natalia, "Do you know that the American Indians used to give hostages over to the women of the tribe and that the women would slowly skin them? A piece here, a piece there, and ear, so forth. No wonder Alfred hated them, right?" He turned back to Feliks after Natalia smiled, "I wonder if I could do it on you?" He slammed him against the wall again, "It's not like you'll die if I mess up." He glared at him angrily and let him go, "Get out of my sight, Synsuka."

Feliks decided not to push his luck and walked out the door. Ivan growled loudly once the door was shut and turned to Natalia, "Once I convince Alfred that we don't need Europe anymore, I'm going to wipe Poland off of the face of the earth, and then I'll blow up the Middle East, and then Northern Africa." He smirked, "Hungary will appreciate me getting rid of Turkey."

Natalia walked over to him and rested her hands on his Pecs, "You aren't fat."

He pouted a bit, "I know! I'm nicely muscled with a small layer of fat to provide insulation in the cold."

Natalia smiled at him and relished the feel of his large arms wrapped around her waist, "I love you just the way you are."

Ivan smiled down at her, "At least that is one country I don't have to blow up." He leaned his head down and brushed his lips against hers. As always, the soft kiss didn't last more than a few seconds. The kiss quickly turned into a battle of wills. Natalia pulled back first and smiled at him.

It had been a long time since she had smiled with Ivan. She had missed those days when their pasts hadn't dampened their happiness. Those damned Mongols had ruined it all though. They had made Ivan crack, and who could blame him for giving in to the torment? His history was soaked in blood. He had to fight himself in the Russian Civil war when his people wanted the monarchy, yet didn't. The centuries of abuse, blood, and battle had done a number on him.

Then again, they had done a number on her. Ivan had protected her threw most of the Mongol days, but she had her own dark past to worry about. She looked up into his softened eyes and caressed his cheek. He leaned into the touch and kept his gaze locked with hers. They made a fine pair. They understood each other. Only the blood soaked can truly understand the other blood soaked. Those with clean hands won't understand. They don't understand what it's like to be in such a situation that there is no other way to survive other than un-honorable assassination. She couldn't help but lighten the mood, "He always such a whiny child."

Ivan smirked, "You say the same about me sometimes."

Natalia nodded, "But you are adorable when you whine. He is just obnoxious."

Ivan smiled down at her pointedly, "I remember someone else who could be obnoxious."

Natalia looked at him with fake confusion, "Who? I don't remember anyone else from Germania's clan being more obnoxious."

Ivan snorted, "You're forgetting Prussia, but I was referring to a certain Baltic nation who has a thing for me and knives."

Natalia sniffed, "The blade is shiny." He laughed from deep in his throat, and Natalia realized that she loved the sound. He pulled away and grabbed her hand, guiding her out of the room.

She looked at him in confusion and Ivan smiled warmly, "I am hungry, and I figured you would be too." She smirked at him and they left the room, neither paying any attention to the fact that he still had a holy bible in the corner of the room where it had landed over a year before. Ivan hadn't touched it and wouldn't touch it until he believed he was worth to. Was it allowed for such a dirty being to touch the words of God? He knew that the Bible was for sinners, but something inside still made him reluctant to even think about it. After everything he had done to her, how was he to ever speak with God again?

_One day later…_

Ivan kicked open the doors to his empty mansion and carried her across the threshold and up the stairs. He held her tightly to him, scared that she would regret her decision. He still couldn't believe that she forgave him. He wouldn't have forgiven so easily. He looked down into her eyes and smiled at the love he saw reflected up to him. He knew that had he been anyone else, she would have killed him long ago. Natalia played with the sunflower that he had tucked into his military uniform. She smiled up at him, "It's been a long time since I've seen you in your formal uniform, fully medaled."

Ivan smirked as he navigated the halls, "Would you have preferred I wear my usual outfit to our wedding?"

Natalia scowled, "We are going shopping for you soon. You need some new colors."

Ivan pouted a bit as they finally came to his bedchamber, "You mean you don't like my clothes?"

Natalia smiled meanly, "Not really."

Ivan sat her down on his large bed and unwrapped his scarf from his neck and removed his long coat. He looked at her for a moment and smiled. This woman was his wife now. She was his to hold and protect. He smirked possessively and walked over to her, unbuttoning his military jacket on his way, "Do you know how good you look on my bed?"

Natalia smiled up at him when he reached the bed, "As good as you look walking towards it."

He knelt down and took her gloved hands in his and looked into her eyes. Ivan sighed and spoke, "I swear I will never take you for granted again, Natalia." He rubbed his thumbs over the back of her hands and looked down, "I will never forgive myself for what I did to you."

Natalia took her hands from his and pulled his face to look at her. She smiled down at him, "Spend the rest of my life showing me how much you love me." He nodded reverently. She pulled him up onto the bed with her and kissed him. The kiss quickly turned passionate. His hands snaked around her waist and harshly pulled her to him. She groaned at the feeling and tightened her grip on his hair. He smirked into the kiss and deepened it. He would never get enough of this woman. She was his. She would never leave him. She would always love him. This time though, he would be the same for her.

Natalia pulled back and smiled up at him. Ivan smirked as he pulled his jacket and dress shirt off. Her hand were running up his arms slowly, feeling every hard muscle and scar. His body told a story, and she couldn't wait to feel ever single part of that story. He looked down at her lustfully, his purple eyes darkened to near black, "So, what about that letter of resignation?"

Natalia ran her hands over his back as he positioned himself over her. She groaned as he stroked her side. She had wanted this for so long, "I take it back."

Ivan smirked, "Good girl." He dove down to her lips and captured them into a slow kiss. They had all the time in the world. He would never be taken. No one could fight his winters. Thus, no one would ever take her except him. They would always survive, no matter what happened to the others. Nations rise and fall, but they would live. They would love.

Sometimes it takes a push for people to really see the world around them. Most of the time, that push doesn't make the world a better place. At least, not at first. Ivan and Natalia had found that out the hard way. Ivan had a long road to go to forgive himself, but love is patient. Love is kind. Love is forgiving. Natalia would walk with him, as she always had whether he wanted her or not.

And so, their story had a happy ending. But, it wasn't really an ending. It was the beginning.

**Author's Note: So, this is horribly long! I never thought I would get it finished. I didn't really like the ending, but I don't want to re-write it for the hundredth time. So, this is my oneshot for this ship, because I honestly believe that Russia really does care so much about the other nations that he ignores those he already has. Let's face it, if Belarus left him, he would be elated for about a year. Then, he would really understand that he was utterly alone, his worst fear. I think he would really come to appreciate all she has done for him in the past.**

**On the OOC of Belarus: Let's face it, once you get rid of the Ivan obsession, she would be pretty normal. Sure, a bit more aggressive and blunt than the average nation, but still pretty sane. If you wanted Insane Belarus, I am sorry that this just wasn't the story for you, and if you are actually reading this, I applaud you for reading the whole thing. **

**I think Ivan was pretty in character for the most part, and Ludwig was hard to keep in character, since we only get romantic scenes from Italy. I seriously considered making this into a BelaXGer fic because of what was happening up there. **

**I tried to be a bit unbiased with some of the other countries. **

**LET IT BE SAID THAT LUDWIG AND IVAN ARE MY FAVORITE CHARACTERS! I didn't like making Ludwig into such a jerk at the end, but it had to be done. Was it or was it not a believable reason? Exactly. If you got blamed for two world freakin wars, you wouldn't pull your gun on a thug either. Poor Ludwig. **

**It's a one shot. Don't add it to your alerts and expect it to be updated. This was a onetime deal. Now, to the part that you guys actually care about. **

**Translations in order that they appear:**

mоя любовь- my love

Wurst- German sausage

Auto- Car

Ist- Is

Frau- Mame/ Ms./ woman

Ja- German yes

Sie- you

Eine- one

Ziemlich- pretty

Etwas- little

Neimand- No man

Da- Russian yes

Chert voz'mi – Dang it/ Gosh

Ya- Russian 'I'

Bozhe moi- My word

Nyet- No

Tak- Polish yes

kozyol mudak- billy-goat ass hole

Idiota- Polish idiot

Synsuka- Son of a bitch

**I hope you liked the story. Please leave a review.**


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